A China Southern Airlines aircraft parks at Almaty International Airport in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on May 1, 2026. Photo: VCG

Kazakhstan and China have discussed opening new scheduled air routes and the possible establishment of a joint regional airline serving domestic and international destinations, Kazakhstan's Civil Aviation Committee said, according to a report by KazTAG. A Chinese expert said that such a move would further facilitate personnel exchanges and deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

"A meeting was held between Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev and Mr. Zhang Liang, vice president of Urumqi Airlines," the statement read. The Chinese side announced plans to launch regular flights on the Urumqi-Karaganda, Kuldja (Yining)-Astana, and Kuldja (Yining)-Almaty routes, according to the Kaztag report.

In turn, the Kazakh side proposed considering the possibility of launching flights to Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semey, and later to the new regional airports of Zaysan and Katon-Karagay. According to the department, this would improve transport accessibility in the regions and expand tourism, trade, and economic ties between Kazakhstan and China.

"Urumqi Airlines operates Chinese-made COMAC C909 aircraft. In this regard, the parties discussed the possibility of implementing a joint project to establish a joint regional airline in Kazakhstan using COMAC aircraft for regional flights, including on routes to Zaysan, Katon-Karagay, and other cities with tourism potential," the Kazakhstan Civil Aviation Committee noted.

Air connectivity between China and Kazakhstan has grown increasingly close in recent days. Air Astana announced that it would increase flight frequencies on its Guangzhou-Almaty and Guangzhou-Astana routes. From August 23, 2026, services between Guangzhou and Astana will rise from two to three flights per week, while flights between Guangzhou and Almaty will increase from five to seven per week from August 28.

The adjustments will bring Air Astana's total number of weekly flights to and from Guangzhou to 10, further strengthening air connectivity between South China and Central Asia and offering greater convenience for business travel, tourism and family visits, according to a statement the company sent to the Global Times.

Another Kazakhstan-based carrier FlyArystan announced the launch of a new direct international route between Almaty and Chongqing, marking its fifth direct route to China and further expanding its network in the Chinese market. The airline currently operates international services from Almaty to Yining and Xi'an, as well as from Astana and Aktau to Urumqi, according to a statement the company sent to the Global Times.

The new Almaty-Chongqing route is scheduled to begin operations on September 23, 2026, with two weekly flights using Airbus A320 aircraft, the company said.

If the plans are ultimately implemented, they would mark a concrete step in advancing Belt and Road cooperation and connectivity between China and Kazakhstan, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. The expansion of air links from major hubs to more regional destinations, together with the proposed joint venture involving C909 aircraft, could also support the aircraft's large-scale commercial operation in Kazakhstan.

The new routes would significantly reduce cross-border travel costs and, supported by the mutual visa-exemption policy, further stimulate demand for business travel, tourism, family visits and educational exchanges. They would also provide more efficient channels for traditional trade in energy and agricultural products, as well as emerging sectors such as cross-border e-commerce, while strengthening bilateral industrial and supply chain connectivity, Wang said.

Civil aviation cooperation between China and Central Asian countries has continued to strengthen, according to reports by Uzbekistan's UzDaily, Kyrgyzstan's 24.Kg news agency and other sources.

On July 8, Uzbekistan Airports held talks with representatives of Air China to discuss prospects for deeper cooperation, including increasing the frequency of flights on the Beijing-Tashkent route from three to seven per week.

Air China also launched direct flights between Beijing and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on July 17, operating three services a week, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

On April 28, a Chengdu Airlines C909 aircraft flew from Kashgar in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to Osh, Kyrgyzstan, marking the launch of the direct Kashgar-Osh route. It was the airline's first route to Kyrgyzstan and the second scheduled Central Asian route operated with a C909 aircraft.

Hasanov, a professor at Fergana State University in Uzbekistan, told the Global Times that cooperation between China and Central Asian countries under the Belt and Road Initiative has continued to deepen. Stronger civil aviation cooperation will facilitate personnel exchanges and deepen practical cooperation in areas including trade and investment, he said.